Alexander Payne doesn't want his Election sequel to go straight to Paramount+. Released in 1999, Payne's Election was a mild box office hit but earned critical acclaim, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay as well as Witherspoon landing a Golden Globe nom for Best Actress in a Comedy and Musical. In 2022, Tracy Flick Can't Win hit bookshelves, exploring what Tracy Flick had been up to since the events of the original novel. Shortly after, it was announced that Tracy Flick Can't Win would be adapted into an original film for Paramount+, with Witherspoon set to star and Payne returning to direct.

Payne has second thoughts about the film being a Paramount+ original film. While speaking with Deadline at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Payne said that he and original Election co-writer Jim Taylor are still working out the script. He added that while the film was originally conceived as a streaming release,...